Rachel Ruan didn't hesitate at all. She opened the front door right away. However, she was shocked to see a very beautiful woman sitting on the passenger seat beside Hiram.
Rachel cautiously marvelled at the woman's beauty.
The woman was tall, slim, and was remarkably charming. She could even be a superstar with her beauty. Rachel wondered who this woman was.
Then, Rachel closed the front door, opened the other door and got inside.
They all kept silent. Hiram Rong started the engine and immediately drove away. The car was filled with a strange and agitated atmosphere.
"Mr. Rong, why don't you introduce this beautiful woman to me?" Rachel was a talkative person. She couldn't endure the silence and finally broke it. It would took them a long time to arrive at Rong family's house. If they kept silent for the whole time, Rachel would be drowned to the uncomfortable atmosphere inside.
"Rachel, this is Lydia, my younger sister."
Hiram answered easily while driving his car.
"Oh, so you are my sister-in-law. Hi! My name is Rachel. Nice to meet you." Rachel politely extended her hand to Lydia. Hiram's mother would surely introduce them to each other again later, but Rachel thought that they had better know each other ahead.
Rachel kept reaching her hand to her for a few more seconds. However, Lydia still didn't respond. She didn't even intend to shake Rachel's hand.
Lydia finally opened her mouth and bluntly said, "Don't talk to me. I am not anyone's sister-in-law." She didn't try to hide her emotions, and kept her eyes on Hiram.
She was shocked and looked at Hiram with her beautiful, glassy eyes.
She couldn't believe about what happened.
Lydia heard from Joanna that Hiram would marry Ruan family's daughter. She paid no attention about it, because she was sure that Hiram wouldn't agree with the marriage. Moreover, she knew that Hiram hated to be directed by others.
Rachel drew her hand back after she felt tired. Hiram's sister was really affectionate to him.
"Hiram, please tell me directly. Is that true? You... You already got married to this woman?" Lydia couldn't further control her emotions and asked him straight, even if she knew that Rachel was sitting behind her.
"Yes, " Hiram replied.
Hiram attentively drove his car and didn't look at Lydia's distressed face.
Rachel thought that she was unwanted there that time. She felt sorry for Lydia after she saw her upset face. What a pity! This lovable and beautiful woman was her, kind of, 'rival'.
Lydia cried all the way to Rong family's house. Rachel felt like she was drowning in a pond of Lydia's tears.
Then they finally arrived at the Rong family's house. Rachel couldn't bear seeing Lydia's bitter face anymore. Rachel immediately followed and approached Hiram after he got out of his car.
"Hiram, she has been crying the whole time. Why don't you comfort her?" Rachel asked. She glanced at Lydia who was still sitting and crying on the passenger seat. Lydia wore a very distressed and sad face, which should supposedly make a man sympathize with her. But Rachel wondered why Hiram didn't try to comfort Lydia.
Hiram didn't know whether he should cry or laugh after he noticed that Rachel felt sorry for Lydia. "She has to face the reality sooner or later. If I try to comfort her, it would mean that I am giving her hope. It will hurt her even more, " Hiram said calmly.
"Just leave her alone. Remember to change your attitude when you enter the house. You should, at least, pretend to care for me in front of them." Then, he held Rachel's shoulders and they went into their house together.
After their dinner, Joanna took Rachel to a corner and chatted with her for a while.
"About Lydia, it's my fault. Hiram didn't like to play with girls ever since he was born. I saw Lydia when I went to an orphanage once. I felt that she was a good girl even though I just met her for the first time. I always wanted to have a daughter.
I thought that Hiram would have more interests in girls if we had a girl in the house. That was why we adopted Lydia. But, as time passed by, Lydia seemed to have fallen in love with Hiram. But, I swear to you. Hiram only treats Lydia as his sister...
And Lydia will also marry someone soon. She won't stay in our family for long."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Such a Rude and Noisy Woman